Thursday, November 13, 2008

WWW, November 2008 - A rare video with an exceptional combination: Yellowman meets the Mighty Diamonds in a gathering that is too sweet to ignore!

Yellowman stand synonymously with, let's say, dirty lyrics. The bulk of it was meant as a joke because Yellowman himself is severely handicapped due to the fact that he is an albino, but many have not caught the joke and maybe not everything was that funny indeed.

However, none of that in this special tune. A remake of the classic Mighty Diamonds track "Have Mercy", we also hear and see the singers whose sweet voices are never too much. And we meet the King of Dancehall, as he chants along with the rhythm and the singers.

WWW, November 2008 - In this video, we meet Black Uhuru with Sly and Robbie and a whole lot of other musicians in the studio. The vibe of the 1980's is perfectly captured, where the music could have been played today as well.

Sly and Robbie have been using their cooperation with the vocal group Black Uhuru to produce some of the most progressive Reggae at the time. It captured the vibe of the time, just like Burning Spear and Bob Marley had done before, which led them to introduce Reggae to a new audience.

When they produced "Bull In The Pen", Sly Dunbar was heavily involved in the digital drum kit, which he used in ways nobody had done before. We see him playing along with Robbie Shakespeare and a lot of other crucial musicians.

WWW, November 2008 - Black Uhuru's name is inseparably connected with the names of Mikal Rose, Puma Jones, Duckie Simpson, Sly and Robbie. In this video, we see only one of them.

Don Carlos and Junior Reid are two great Reggae vocalists who have been members of Black Uhuru throughout the group's history. In this video, we team up with Junior Reid as the lead vocalists with Duckie Simpson as everlasting member of the group.

Junior Reid obviously has the voice that keeps everything together, while many people will surely miss the drum and basslines by Sly and Robbie as well.

Still, this is not a video to skip, as we see Junior Reid doing a wonderful performance. Original Foreign Mind in itself has become a classic, which says a thing when considered neither Sly nor Robbie was there.

WWW, November 2008 - Luciano meets Sizzla, and together they go up to the hill of the Bobo Shanti Rasta. To chant down Babylon, and to congregate among brethren.

In this 1996 video, we see the Messenger as he wants to find a place to rest. Suffering in the ghetto's, wars and rumors of wars, death and destruction takes it's toll and it's not just the ones who die that suffer.

As we walk along with him, we land in Creation, in Nature, where Jah Works are seen and felt and freedom is tasted. We meet Sizzla and he receives more power during his meeting with his brethren and with the Creator as he trods through creation.

WWW, November 2008 - In the 1990's, there was an explosion of Drum and Bass, or Jungle, or whatever the name was. The music was brand new, and it sound like this.

Supercat and Reggie Stepper get together for an extremely danceable tune: It's called Drum 'n' Bass, or Jungle: an ultra deep bass with a breakbeat on top of it, et voila: there was a mysterious combination of highly energetic drums and an ultra-cool bassline.

WWW, November 2008 - In this 1979 TV performance by the UK group Still Cool, we see them singing the tune that is a classic until this day.

Don't ask me what these vinyl scratches do in the sound. This is not your average You-Tube clip, where you hear a tune and see photo's: we see the singers as they playback on the tune.

This 1979 video clip is, just like the singers, still cool. An incredibly sensitive UK Roots tune, that unfortunately has a theme which is actual even today, almost thirty years after the video was recorded.

WWW, November 2008 - Before he started Rebel Salute, before he became known to the world as another conscious DJ of the time. Tony Rebel was already going strong.

Jamaica, Land of Food and Water. That name was given to the Island by the original inhabitants, before Christopher Columbus and his gang of vampires turned it into a big plantation.

Jamaica, also the birth place of Tony Rebel. He grew up feeling what it means to be at the receiving end of Babylon System's ugly shitstem. He saw the dances getting hotter, as cokane and violence flooded the island, and decided to do something about it.

Together with people like Luciano, he was part of what some call the "Rasta Renaissance" in the early nineties. "Sweet Jamaica" was one of the tunes of the day.

WWW, November 2008 - In 1993, Luciano introduced himself to the people of the world, and to JAH, with an impressive musical track and video clip.

This is it.

Luciano, aka The Messenger. In the early 1990's he entered the global scene with a new kind of Roots Music, dubbed by this website as "contemporary Roots". It was a time where cokane and violence ran the dancehall and violence ran the place more than ever before.

Nowadays, we know him as a long dreadlocked singer, but back in the time he was still growing them. He was growing his faith, too, but by looking at the video and feeling the vibes in the music, you can easily see that that faith was already solid as a rock.

WWW, November 2008 - A Video Clip with DUB Poet Linton Kwesie Johnson is kind of rare. When it's played on MTV, it's even more rare.

But here it is!

When LKJ entered the scene, the music that came with his poetry was deep, and hard. DUB effects and everything was there. In fact, it was LKJ's "Five Nights Of Bleeding" that got yours truly hooked on Reggae, somewhere in the early 1980's.

In 1992, the vibe had totally changed. Dennis Bovell, the musical genius behind LKJ, had taken himself and his musicians to higher grounds and they started to experiment with other styles, which they integrated with Reggae.

The result could be an upfull, ska-ish track with Africa style guitar licks.

WWW, November 2008 - Usually, they are in the background, barely mentioned, while in fact they do all the work. Channel One Studio Band the Roots Radics ask your attention, please!

Sly and Robbie were part of the first Studio Bands of the legendary Channel one studio's in Jamaica, where just too many Roots Rockers and Rub a Dub is recorded to mention.

After the Aggrovators and the Revolutionaries, it was time for the studio to come up with their third band. The name was the Roots Radics, as they played one Rub a Dub after the other into the multitrack recorders at Channel one.

They are barely mentioned on the albums and the concert posters, when they performed to back this singer after that DJ. They played album after album, where only the DUB engineer took the credit.

WWW, November 2008 - In the 1960's, you had skinheads who liked Ska music and were usually seen as rude boys.

No, this is no typo and this is not about neo-nazi's either.

In the end of the 1970's, the UK witnessed the birth of the "Two Tone" movement. It was a Movement with a philosophy and with a music, too.

The name of the music was a bit deceptive, though. It was basically a Reggae rhythm with the drums playing on the 2 and the 4 with the skanks between the counts, where the bass continued to play a reggae-ish line.

It sounded like Reggae, but it was not Reggae.

However, ten years before that, Jamaica also had a music called Ska.

And this is not the only comparance...

Two-Tone was also an answer to the rising army of neo-nazi's who called themselves skinhead. We can see them in the streets today, even, too. However, what most neo nazi skinheads do not know, is that just like Ska, also the skinheads were originally found in Jamaica.

Two-tone had the mission to tell the skinheads about their Toots, and they did so with a lot of music. Here are two of these bands.

WWW, November 2008 - After a few atmospheric impressions of a rainy day at Glastonbury festival, we go straight into a majestic performance by Sly and Robbie's Black Uhuru!

As the rain falls down, so does the music. A very strong set played by Sly and Robbie with Black Uhuru during their best days with Puma Jones, Duckie Simpson and Mikal Rose falls over the audience that soon forgets the rain and start chanting along as the band plays Sinsemillia.

The rest is history, which can be seen in this two-part impression of a peace festival somewhere in the UK during the early 1980's.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

WWW, November 2008 - The "Old Grey Whistle Test" was a UK program, where artists performed live. At least, most of the time. There were artists who playbacked.

Even though the video is presented as a live performance, it is more than clear that the Wailers (Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer and Bob Marley) playbacked their way through the song.

The year was 1973 and the Wailers were still threegether. Peter, Bob and Bunny traveled to the UK for some performances, among which this one at the Old Grey Whistle Test. They don't look to happy, either, and those who know "The Bob Marley Story" will recognize the frustration in the eyes of the three brethren and the musicians behind them.

WWW, November 2008 - In 2002, Reggae and DUB had come a long way, resulting in many sub-genres emerging throughout the decades. Thievery Corporation is one of the collectives that came out of this development.

As we see pictures of the many wicked things Babylon does to the people of the world, a smooth and groovy music plays and the singer tells us all about the Mystery.

When the four minutes are over, you know one thing: you don't wanna be The Richest Man In Babylon.

Musically, the clip is just as interesting as the topic. We hear a melodic form of toasting, we hear a drum and bass beat that is not Reggae but still does give a Reggae vibe, or to be more precise: a DUB vibe.

WWW, November 2008 - The UK has been a major outlet and breeding place for Reggae Music. Patterned after Bob Marley's success, the 1970's gave birth to countless of UK based Reggae bands and Aswad was one of them.

The "Old Grey Whistle Test" was the name of a television program in the UK, where bands and artists performed live for a studio audience.

At least, most of the time.

In this case, it definitely was a live performance. We see Aswad as a full blown band performing somewhere in the early 1980's. An impressive performance, allready showing the group to be here-to-stay.

WWW, November 2008 - When Black Uhuru performed at the Reggae Sunsplash Festival in 1984, they had made their name not just within Reggae Music.

Throughout the 1980's, Black Uhuru was much, arguably even more, a Sly and Robbie project rather than a vocal harmony group consisting out of Duckie Simpson, Puma Jones and Mikal Rose. Albums like "Sinsemillia" and "Red" had shown already, just how progressive Black Uhuru actually was.

In 1984, Black Uhuru had become one of the top groups in Reggae Music. They had, just like Burning Spear and Bob Marley before them, introduced Reggae to an audience that was not usually looking for Jamaican Music.

The top-notch production and musical skills of Sly and Robbie were responsible for the success of Black Uhuru. Before the Rhythm Twins took over the care for Black Uhuru, so to speak, they had been "just" another vocal harmony group.

When Michael Rose joined the group, together with the American Puma Jones, the success formula was completed. Throughout the 1980's, they dominated the Reggae charts.

Watch this mighty performance by the singers and players of instruments, and realize that this was almost one quarter of a century ago!

WWW, November 2008 - Reggae is definitely "Big In Japan" and it has been so for quite a while now, as this 1980's performance by Rub a Dub singer Tenor Saw shows.

The video opens with Tenor Saw saying some nice things to the public, after which we go straight into the performance of two tracks, of which the second one ("No Work On Sunday") is one of the best known songs by the Rub a Dub singer.

The video was shot somewhere in the 1980's, when Reggae Times were definitely changing.

Together with singers like Barrington Levy, Cocoa Tea and others, Tenor Saw was part of a new generation of singers after Rockers Music had slowly changed into what we now call early Dancehall or Rub a Dub.

WWW, November 2008 - In this ultra-rare video clip, we see the King of UK DUB while listening to one of his DUB excursions into Outer Space.

The junglist drums just go too well with the deep bass, as Neil Fraser a.k.a. the Mad Professor mixes everything into a deep, deep DUB. He has been mixing in his Ariwa Studio ever since his humble beginnings, before growing out to one of the leading forces in UK DUB and ROOTS.

Is he the King of UK DUB? Ah, well, there are a lot of titles thrown around, and many are just to signify the importance of the persons who receive these titles.

Judge for yourself, as the Mad Professor takes us into Outer Space with yet another Hi Quality Deep Bass DUB tunes!

WWW, November 2008 - After the bizarre introduction, Bob Marley and the Wailers perform their track for American television. The year is 1975, and a lot was about to happen.

The quality of the video is abominable, but the historic value of this Bob Marley performance for American television is just too big.

America was not ready for Reggae, as many Reggae historians would say, about that time around the early 1970's. In a documentary called "Catch a Fire", we see just how much effort was put into getting Bob Marley and Reggae Music accepted by the mainstream in the land of R&B.

The performance on this video can be seen in that historical context. It was a time wherein not just Bob Marley and the Wailers, but many more tried to get Reggae Music into the main stream. A long, long struggle that would take quite a few years still...

WWW, November 2008 - Who is Mr. Heartless, and just why does he have no heart? Let Anthony B enlighten us with some Truth Vibration, Rastaman style.

How's life in Jamaica? Many seem to think that it's just about sunshine and drinking rum on the beach or something like that. Anthony B shows what life is like, especially in the ghetto's where people get killed like tourists get drinks in hotels.

The music isn't Reggae, isn't Dancehall, and yet it is. A mystical thing, which obviously has to do with the message contained in this tune.

WWW, November 2008 - See the Crown Prince of Reggae performing for an enormous crowd at the Mother of all Reggae Festivals in Jamaica!

The music is tight and the band is basic: there's nothing left of the "big band approach" which marked the 1970's when people like Dennis Brown and Peter Tosh were touring the world.

Keyboards replace the horns and digital drums replace the acoustic set, this is the sound of the nineties after Jamaica went through a decade of musical turmoil and the phrase "Roots" got a whole new meaning.

Monday, November 10, 2008

WWW, November 2008 - This Nazarite's Classic performed by the originators at Reggae Sunsplash 1982: another piece of niceness for the eye and ear, the soul and spirit.

Reggae Sunsplash can be called the Mother of all Reggae Festivals, and the video recordings made of the many concerts by the many legendary artists have obviously become a must-see for every self-respecting online Reggae fan.

The Twinkle Brother's classic track can be called a true Nazarite's classic as well. Dealing with situations caused by the fact that someone starts to grow dreadlocks, many could and can identify with the words which makes this track extra special.

WWW, November 2008 - DUB has been the vehicle for many, many experiments. It's not just a thing from the recent years, as this 1980's video shows.

The music that carries to ultra-stoned voice is hard to define. It's a beat that sounds like a House beat, but it's played by a real drum or at least made to sound like that. There's a bassline too, very much present.

It was the last video made by the collective that heralded digital Dance music in a time where the term "computerized" was a dirty word for just too many people too mention.

WWW, November 2008 - A more-than-up tempo Steppers, two vocalists and a Dub: This must be Roots Ministry's presentation of the JAH Army Riddim and so it is!

It takes the German based Sound System just five minutes to get us straight into the groove of this militant, hard hitting Steppers tune.

Jah Melodie and Zoro chant down Babylon once more and once again, after which we go deeper with a small portion of the energizing DUB version in which the minimalistic Drumbeat becomes even more harder than before.

Keep an eye on this riddim: there must be more and more who want to chant some more!

WWW, November 2008 - Time for some upfull, righteous and militant Roots and DUB that will bless up the hearts and soul of Roots Sons and Daughters world wide.

3600 Seconds, to be exact.

After being treated to no less than three excellent tracks by the Zion Train related Italian based collective Moa Anbessa wherein the Book of Books is quoted more than once, Coco "Ring The Alarm" Tea takes over with "Long Time". Indeed, Long Time he's been sounding the alarm and he's not about to stop doing it either.

A crucial musical introduction to a crucial one-hour mix of mainly UK DUB and Roots Music. Upfull, Righteous music and lyrics that will bless up the hearts and souls of Roots Sons and Daughters everywhere.

WWW, November 2008 - In Reggae, several vocalists will use the same Riddim to voice their lyrics over. Over the Oneness riddim, for example: a cool contemporary Roots Reggae One Drop.

Luciano opens up this presentation of the Oneness Riddim, and he is followed by not only a long list of names: he is also followed by a wide variety of styles these vocalists use.It shows the Power of Reggae: every one can join in and do his own thing.

Thanks to the German based Roots Ministry, who compiled and skillfully mixed this short presentation!

WWW, November 2008 - We've come a long way after King Tubby started to spice up his instrumental B sides with effects, movie style. DUB EVOLUTION shows us how far the technique is developed in an excellent presentation of the better UK DUB.

Ariwa, JAH Shaka and Conscious Sounds are the most represented studio's on this collection of heavy drum and basslines as they can arguably only be produced in the UK.

Militant Steppers, pumping One Drop's, long and lasting echo's, righteous lyrics: from the top to the very last drop of this deeply recommended podcast we'll be moving and grooving while giving thanks for the Art called DUB.

Even Horace Andy's Kunta Kinte, even though the track some with full lyrics, could be filed under "Dub". There is just too much mixing going on to ignore.

WWW, November 2008 - Dennis Brown's rendering of Marley's "Want More" opens up a mix that more than deserves the name given by the Selector. Roots and Culture, Tuffer than Tuff!

Before the Zagreb based Radikal Dub Kolektiv ends this 47 minute Podcast, we've been treated to some of very hard Dubs and Vocals. Tuf, Tuf, Tuf is indeed the word to use no less than three times you'll need to describe what you've just bee going through.

You will rise up, full of energy to Chant Down Babylon one more time, definitely wanting more as Dennis Brown asks us right at the start.

It's the thing, you know. It's the one thing you want, once you've been taken by the deep, conscious sounds we loosely call UK DUB and Roots.

WWW, November 2008 - After passing the first minutes of this Podcast in total confusion, slowly it becomes clear what this is all about: bass, bass and nothing but bass. Bass, and DUB!

Yours truly doesn't speak or read Spanish or Portuguese, which seems to be the native language of our host in this extremely interesting mix. However, "Beeem Baxio" can hardly refer to anything else but... the Bass (Baxio, anyone? thank you).

It's all about Bass, after all. Bass, and Dub.

Contemporary Dub. Contemporary, online DUB even. For not only do we find a couple of nice tracks by Dutch based Twilight Circus, we're also treated by some works of Dubmatix. Dubmatix is one of the most prolific Online Artists. Those who visit the Dubroom may have seen his advertisements or read the Dubroom review on this artist.

Next to Twilight Circus and Dubmatix, Beeem Baxio is filled with bass-driven music as only Reggae Music can be.

WWW, November 2008 - Sometimes, you shouldn't be discouraged by the title of a tune. Or a Podcast. For the "miscellaneous" category in DUB is everything but a pimped trashcan.

This is for those that want their DUB in each and every (im)possible way.

Finn the Giant and Polish based Muflon DUB are two Online Artists that fit perfectly well with the Twinkle Brothers and UK DUBheads Manasseh and The Equalizer.

We're going into several styles and regions in this Podcast, after all.

With a title like this, there are some who would expect a mix-up of indefinable material that is usually indefinable because of their poor quality. The "miscellaneous" category, after all, is invented for such things.

Right?

Wrong.

At least, not in DUB. Listen to the evidence as it is presented to you in this Podcast. We go from one DUB Vibe into the next without pain and suffering, and realize how rich the Art that give name to this website really is.

WWW, November 2008 - Just like Dancehall, DUB definitely takes it's own way inside and outside of Reggae Music. In Pra Frentex we Step It Up on that One Way Street called DUB and let the Drum and Bass take use to Heigher Heights.

Here in the Dubroom, we often have seen the influence of DUB in what can loosely be called contemporary Digital Dance Music. Styles like House and Techno would not have been there, or would have sounded quite different.

We also see on a regular basis just what DUB as a discipline in itself is capable of. Instead of just serving as a source of inspiration for such highly popular styles in Dance Music, DUB is also continuing to develop into ever Heigher Heights.

Often crossing the realms of Reggae, too.

Or expanding them, if you will.

For DUB and Reggae are connected, arguably more than Dancehall. If only for the simple reason that the best music to create DUB with is still Reggae Music.

Just how DUB is developing, crossing or expanding the borders of Reggae, can be heard in Pra Frentex.

We hear music that represents a form of DUB which is played at parties where you can hear Techno and House in other rooms or halls. Music that still is Reggae, but definitely seeks the limits at times.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

WWW, November 2008 - You guessed it: A tribute to the Mighty, Mighty sound of the Horn Section. However, this is a tribute of the Horn Section where you might just not expect it: in the usually very digital realms of UK DUB!

As we step from one crucial DUB into the next, the Mighty Horns are everywhere without taking us into a vibe where only those that "also like jazz" would love to stay throughout the entire length of this podcast.

Don't worry, though.

Unless you really don't like DUB.

But then, you wouldn't be here reading this.

So, let's step into this tribute of the Mighty Horns as we go from crucial and deep UK DUB into the next. Many Zion Train projects are present, like the Tassili Players and Love Grocer. Dennis Bovell is there, the man behind just too much DUB to mention. Vibronics, and the German based Sir Larsie-I: All in all, just too much niceness to be left un-downloaded.

WWW, November 2008 - He works in Switzerland, Italy and Germany as an acclaimed Techno/House DJ. Just what would he select for 1 hours and 40 minutes of Dub, Roots and (other) Reggae?

The result may surprise you.

DUB has been more than influential in the eventual creation of electronic Dance music: a thing you can read on many Dubroom pages. Ever since King Tubby cultivated the skill of mixing into a work of Art, people have been developing their own style over the concept.

A concept of drums, bass, and effects. A concept wherein instruments drop in and out rather than playing solo's et cetera. A concept wherein just one or two lines of singing have more effect than many full lyric tracks.

Listen to certain UK DUB, and you will hear a style that many Reggae fans will not even (want to) recognize as a form of Reggae. Add to that, a lot of Reggae fans have a lot of dislike for contemporary digital music.

On the other hand, we do find that a lot of House/Techno producers and DJ's will know all too well just where their music is (partly) coming from. A lot of them have a love for Reggae, and especially DUB.

One of these DJ's is DJ I-smash, aka Psysmael. He works for Swiss radio, organizes festivals and is a wanted guest on parties in Switzerland, Italy and Germany. He can tell you all about electronic music and knows how to spin a few records.

In this mix, however, he doesn't "go techno". Quite the contrary, actually. In one hour and forty minutes he shares some of his (DUB) Reggae favorites. A look at the playlist might surprise you.

The music is mixed one track after the other, sometimes with a little effect but mostly just a no-nonsense non-stop mix of some of the most heartical DUBS and other Reggae out there.

WWW, November 2008 - Brethren in Canada? Sure thing! It's not only the title of one of the tracks in this highly danceable mix of Jamaican, UK and Canadian Reggae, it's a statement of fact too.

Canada's Reggae history is almost as old as Reggae itself. When Jackie Mittoo settled down in Toronto in 1969, he was one of the first to introduce the music to the second largest country of the world.

He wasn't the last, either. Roots singer Willi Williams, for example, is another one. The list goes further and shows the long time relationship of Canada with Reggae Music.

Brethren in Canada? Of course!

The people behind the Toronto-based Dub Connection Podcast give us a few crucial Canadian Reggae tunes and combined them with some of the better works from Jamaica and the UK from roughly the early 1980's until now.

The result is a highly danceable mix of several styles of Reggae Music: Rub a Dub, Ragga, Dancehall, UK DUB, Roots, et cetera. Definitely not a mix-up without structure, definitely not a mix without quality.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

WWW, November 2008 - When the first black president of the USA announced his candidacy, Reggae singer Coco Tea created a tune plus video to voice his support.

Regardless of the many justified arguments against the politicks of Barack Obama, the fact that November 2008 marked the time in which the first Black Man enters the White House as president of the USA was and is something to rejoice over. Especially, when you are a Black (wo)man in the USA or even in other countries of the world.

In the night it became know that he was (s)elected to be that first Black president of the USA, people all over the country went crazy for joy. Hope and happiness could be read on everybody's face.

The campaign that brought Obama to the White House, started somewhere early 2008 and this was also the time wherein Reggae singer Coco Tea did a thing to express his support for what later turned out to become the first Black president of the USA.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

If you want to know what the other side of Dub is, you might as well check out the other side of Reggae too.

What is the other side? What are the other sides?

Well, at least one of them is a side that is not easily recognized by people in the western world, the so called first world.

And that is, that Reggae Music is first and foremost a Sufferer's Music. It's born in Jamaica, under the most heavy conditions. Many tunes were produced while bullets were flying around studio's in what was just another gangster war.

How do you think you think you play under circumstances like that?

Another, yes yet another side is the musical technology that was used in the days when Reggae was developed.

Studio's like Channel One and King Tubby's DUB Laboratory were created by technical experts who were able to create sound equipment with material that musicians in the West felt too good for. Yes, even the school-bands who can't even get a single tone right.

What many perceive to be the "charm of Reggae" (especially the older recordings), is directly related to all these conditions. The rough sound, and the heartical vibes come out of the soul of the sufferers.

Perhaps the most extreme example of this is the legendary STUDIO ONE. Many of the basslines that make Reggae Music were born in that studio.

Decades later still going strong!

With nothing more then a two track, and later a four-track Coxsone Dodd literally recorded the start of so many of Reggae's legends.

You name them, they started at Studio One.

And you hear it. Because the sound of Studio One stands symbolic for the fact that Reggae Music is first and foremost a sufferer's music.

And that's the other side of Reggae. And with that, the other side of Dub.

It's a great album, a classic among the classics. In a nice combination of versions (dubby instrumentals) and Toasting Tunes, you hear how only true masters managed to get a sound like this under conditions like that.

And the Lone Ranger? He was the Toaster or DJ at Studio One.

Toasting is Reggae Rapping. Or actually, Rapping is R&B Toasting. Just another side of Dub.

On The Other Side Of Dub you can hear the Lone Ranger toasting. And while you do, you can rightfully wonder why you perhaps know so little of him. Because the Lone Ranger is just as good or better than toasters like Dillinger and Trinity.

So there you have a lot of reasons to buy this album.

First, it is a proof of the fact that Reggae is a Sufferer's Music. No doubt about it when you hear this one.

Second, it is an impressive document of the technical skills of players, vocalists and producers at the legendary Studio One.

Third, Lone Ranger simply is one of the top toasters of Jamaica during the 1970's.

This is a really great sampler of Jamaican Reggae Music as it was played in the late 1970's, early 1980's.

Almost a decade worth of music on one album, and every track has his own story, relevance and niceness. Good for friends, connaiseurs, music lovers and dj's. Mmm... Someone did a very good in compiling this album!

Many different styles are presented to the listener, all of them based around the production skills of Mike Brooks.

Long parts of stricktly drum and bass with vocals on top. Early dancehall or Rub a Dub style Solid drum and basslines!

Deep Roots freaks you to every corner of your mind because of the deep phasers, accompanied by lyrics sung from the heart.

Straight up Rockers in the classic Revolutionairies Style: militant and forward. Guaranteed to make everybody move and Groove To The Riddim.

And if that doesn't convince you, simply take a look at the All-Star list of vocalists and know they are all backed by the classic groups that CREATED the music we now know to be a part in our souls.

When you take a look at the list of friends with whom Mike Brookes made the vibes during the period of 1976-1983, it becomes clear that the word "just" not only a mere understatement, it's totally misplaced!

Horace Andy. One of the most remarkable vocalists within Reggae Music fe real.

As a young boy, he's singing tunes at Jamaica's Studio One as a natural talent. Decades later, he is a top-class singer who rides a digital riddim with big ease. Many will recognize his voice as the singer in the world famous Massive Attack track "One Love"!

Massive Attack has surely brought Horace Andy to many people's attention. Being the huge Reggae Fans that they are, they probably felt more honoured to have Horace Andy sing for them then vice versa.

And they did Reggae Music a great service by introducing Horace Andy to the general public. And not only Horace Andy, by the way. They have also made excessive use of the services man who holds the scepter in ARIWA studios. Yes, the Mad Professor!

Now take a way the trip-hop beats and leave Mad Professor and Horace Andy do their own thing, and you'll get a product which naturally exceeds any Massive Attack productions in quality and spritual vibrations.

What you'll get is Life Is For Living". Horace Andy singing over Ariwa Riddims, skillfully mixed by Mad P. himself.

Bob Marley and the Wailers, King Tubby, Sly and Robbie - The Ultimate Reggae Dub & Riddim CollectionDUBROOM ALBUM REVIEW

When you're browsing through the Reggae CD's at these mega stores, you are bombarded with all kinds of compilation CD's of which sometimes the covers already say enough."DON'T BUY ME", they scream.

There's a big change you're going to skip this one too. The picture on the cover isn't really attractive, and we've seen too many albums with titles such as this one to be convinced that it really describes the content.

And this is definitely not the ultimate Reggae Dub and Riddim collection. Obviously.

However, if I were you I wouldn't skip over this collection too soon either. Because it really does give you a good impression of Dub music.

Two discs carrying pretty interesting stuff! Full albums that can really be considered crucial, along with some very nice singles, this collection really is packed to the max.

What to say about the full album DUB ROCKERS DELIGHT, simply presented as a collection of Sly and Robbie dubs on this "compilation"? Tunes which have been sung over by none less than Don Carlos and Lacksley Castell. Yes, that one surely is crucial.

The album is followed by a selection of King Tubby mixes of riddims layed down by Sly and Robbie in the Channel One Studio. Before the Roots Radics became the Channel One Studio Band, Sly and Robbie have been the backbone of two preceding studio-bands: the Aggrovators and the Revolutionaries. Their sound is legendary until this day. Listen to the set of Bob Marley "covers" that they played back in the 1970's, in stricktly DUBWISE STYLE.

The second disc is packed with riddims played by the Wailers and the studio band of Lee Perry's BLACK ARK. This shows a side of Bob Marley's work that has not often been heard by the average Reggae fan.

Many stories have been told about this period of Bob Marley's progression. Not the least one is that all the recording he did with Lee Perry seemed to have been pirated by the latter. At least, according to Bunny Wailer in a documentary broadcasted by the BBC.

But of course that doesn't take away anything from the quality and relevance of the tunes on the second disc of this noteworthy compilation. The music has been played with JAH love and you can hear that.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this compilation each and everyone who is interested in Dub and Reggae, as it gives a really good idea about just three aspects of this great culture.

But "The Ultimate Reggae Dub And Riddim Collection"? Of course not. Because that collection consists out of 100,000's of albums fe true. And sure it must be somewhere, but where?

When you want to buy Reggae Music, having a bit of background knowledge can proof to be quite fruitful.

The way albums are presented and credited is often different then how this is done in western music.

Let me give you an example: it might be that you like the singer Yabby You very much. You know his albums One Love, One Heart and Fleeing From The City and you think it's great.

So when you would see this album, Dub It To The Top, you might think it's another album which features this singer Yabby You.

But that's not the case.

Yabby You is indeed a singer, but also a producer. He is the one who discovered one of my all time favorite Reggae singers: Michael Prophet.

The mighty King Tubby has mixed plenty of Dubs for Yabby the producer as well.

And both are present on this album, but you won't see a mention of it in the title.

It's a part of Reggae Culture. Because now Yabby's skills as producers are highlighted and another time his skills as a singer.

Dub It To The Top is an 18 track collection of great DUBS by tracks which Yabby (helped) produce(d).

Many of the riddims are well-known in the inner circle of Reggae enthusiasts.

The first part is reserved for some crucial and militant Rockers music mixed skillfully by the Master. The second contains brain-smashing dubs from some of the hottest Michael Prophet tunes.

You must buy this album!

The versatility of possibilities within Reggae music becomes apparent when you realize the different vibe in each tune.

Heavy dubbing, jazzy vibes with hornsman Tommy Mc Cook blowing his way over the rhythm. Vocal snippets from singers and deejays echoing on top of essential drum and bass lines.

And the styles are manifold too. Don't ever think that Reggae Music is just another style, no it is a RHYTHM with many styles and varieties. On this album you'll get acquainted with some of these styles.

In a period of just three years, Yabby managed to produce some crucial Rockers music as you can hear in the first part of the disc.

And in the second part you'll be introduced to some early Rub a Dub music, dancehall music before it became the coke headed babylonian style shortly after Bob Marley's death.

All tunes have been used by Reggae Singer MICHAEL PROPHET (One of Yabby You's Discoveries, along with Black Uhuru's Michael Rose) who you can hear throughout the many crucial DUBS that Blood and Fire put on that second part.

In fact it wasn't Blood and Fire who did the selection. They just reissued "Yabby You Meets Michael Prophet: Vocal & Dub". And according to the LINER NOTES that come with this release, the "crème de la crème" of Jamaican Dub participated on it. But you don't have to read these notes to know this: the sound speaks for itself.

Dub it from the top to the very last drop in this essential course how to dub it to the top!

In Reggae Culture, we can find many harmony groups: one lead singer and one or two, or even three back ground vocalists.

Just thinking of a few isn't really that difficult: Israel Vibration, Black Uhuru, Wailing Souls, and of course Culture.

And we shouldn't forget that the Wailers originally started out as a vocal trio too.

Culture ruled the Jamaican charts when Bob Marley and the Wailers were riding the international charts, and that gives an indication to the relevance of the works of Culture.

This album will introduce you to Culture at work: catchy riddims, vocals from the heart.

Many consider it to be one of their weaker albums, but if that really is, then it says something about Culture's Quality!

Oh yes, it's true that the music on Culture At Work is quite different then the Rockers we can find on classics such as Culture's debut Two Sevens Clash, but the music is well digestive.

Especially when you realize that in 1986 (when this album was originally recorded) Jamaica was being flooded with cocaine in an attempt by Babylon System to stop the movement of Rastafari from liberating the people's minds.

And Culture has always been on the forefront in the struggle against Babylon.

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Welcome to the Dubroom Reviews Weblog, where you can find reviews of the best (DUB) Reggae Music available online. We review albums, (freely) downloadable files, DVD's, online video's and more since 1997.

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News and views from the religious system we know as "Christianity", CRC items will be posted along with interesting news item from other websites.

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